Aftermath
by Valairy Scot
Summary: One Naboo guardsman works on his report, with side comments to his wife. An outsider's view of the Jedi.


Report of Royal Naboo Guardsman Nils Polray  
Our Day of Liberation

_Kahla, do I have time before dinner to dictate my report? The Captain will want it by tomorrow. I do? Okay, if you hear me talking, I'm just dictating …_

My name is Royal Naboo Guardsman Nils Polray. I accompanied Her Majesty the Queen to Coruscant and also was with her upon our return to our beloved planet to free it from its occupiers.

I was at Her Majesty's side until the Trade Federation representatives were under capture in the Throne Room (1) until she personally ordered me to search for and offer any assistance necessary to the two Jedi who confronted the creature accosting us in Theed hangar. Reports have now confirmed he was one Darth Maul, a Zabrek, (2, also see addendum: confirmed by capture of Trade Federation viceroy), and a Sith.

I made my way without incident to the hanger. Unknown to me, the droid control ship had been deactivated and droids littered our quiet and clean streets. I proceeded with extreme caution despite the visual evidence. The robes of the two Jedi still lay where they had been discarded when they advanced to meet the Zabrek, hencefore referred to as "Maul." The hangar itself was empty, and I heard no sounds of fighting.

There were three possible directions in which the fight may have led them. One was the way to the Palace, the way I had come, so I was able to eliminate that. I then proceeded in the opposite direction. My search was fruitless. I then returned to the hanger and proceeded into the building's innards.

A short passageway led into a vast cavernous room, criss crossed by metal walkways (3, identified on blueprints as "generator room"). I saw no sign of life within this room, though molten marks showed the fight's progression. I explored the various levels without success. I then approached a laser-beam gate protected passageway leading to the melting pit (3) and caught sight of the Jedi at the far end. It appeared that one was wounded.

I was able to see very little of the room through the red haze of the gateways, but the Jedi seemed unconcerned about the presence of an enemy. I assumed, correctly, that it meant that "Maul" was no longer a threat and I could proceed.

I disengaged the gates and hurried through the corridor. I found the younger Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi, on the floor holding his deceased master, Qui-Gon Jinn, oblivious to my approach. (4)

_My dear, the Jedi was crying, head bent over the elder. I had no idea that Jedi cried. Actually, I wasn't sure just how much they were capable of feeling, though the return trip here had shown how little I knew of them. The two Jedi had seemed on strained terms on our return which had surprised me. I thought the Jedi were not weighted down with emotions. None of us dared ask what had disrupted the harmony that had existed between them when we had first left Naboo. I believe it started when Master Jinn brought back that slave urchin – the one who won that big race on Tatooine that I told you about earlier. I didn't – well, I'll explain it all later after I get this report finished. _

I immediately called for medical assistance, though it was clear none was needed. Jedi Kenobi (_Kahra, he was actually quite young, still in training I understand) ah, yes_, the Jedi did not seem to note my presence and I put a hand on his shoulder. He seemed to shudder but turned his head and looked at me.

_Kahra, I will never forget the pain in his eyes. If you had been there you would have given him a hug, trying to sooth him as you do our grandson after he's hurt himself. _

I hesitated to ask questions of Jedi Kenobi at that time; my duty was to assist in whatever manner was required and then bring the Jedi to the Queen, so I restrained myself to asking the fate of "Maul." The Jedi flashed me an incomprehensible look and confessed to having taken "Maul's" life in battle.

At this time I had little knowledge of the suffering our people had undergone under the occupation. I was, therefore, hard pressed to maintain a peaceful exterior as I faced this man who had killed another. He had blood on his hands and an invisible gulf divided us: one who had killed and one who had had no need to. Your Majesty must remember I am not a soldier, I am a guardsman.

_Kahra, I know self defense is not wrong. I have pledged my own life to defend my Queen, but it is one thing to be prepared to die for one's sovereign, and one thing to take the life of another. However, such a fate seemed far from unlikely for a Naboo, as peaceful as we are. You know the Royal Guards are largely ceremonial and none of us have ever expected to see battle. Even such fighting as I did at my Queen's side was not against lifeforms, only mechanical droids._

_You can guess how I felt then, standing beside this – this smooth-faced killer, whose only concern seemed to be his companion. I was wrong, as it turned out…_

I offered to escort the Jedi to the Queen. He wished to decline, but after another look at Master Jinn's body, he stood and bowed to me and accompanied me. He was silent the entire way. He just walked beside me, hands tucked in his sleeves and his eyes always moving, always on guard.

_There was not one iota of expression on his face. Cold-hearted – yes dear, I will refrain from using profanity in your presence – humph, well – I would imagine the look on his face wasn't much different from a bounty hunter. Pure ice, chipped stone, fill in your adjective of choice. That Jedi Jinn was ever so pleasant spoken a man, friendly and all, ever so attentive to that slave boy, but the young one was usually sitting silent and in the background – well, he ups and surprises me again. We pass by the hangar door and his eyes flicker over to them two cloaks, lying side by side and the kid's face just goes taut and he bites his lip. He looks away from me, but I saw a new tear trickling down his cheek. I guess them Jedi hide their emotions, though this one finally cracked a bit. I think it was the sight of the cloaks that got to him. So I don't hold it against him when he remarks, cool as ever, that the pilots must have taken out the droid control ship._

I escorted the Jedi to the Queen's presence as requested, completing my assignment.

_Our Queen served Naboo well, Kahra. First thing she was doing once the Palace was taken back was to arrange to free all the Naboo in the camps. It was her first priority. It took a minute or two for her to recognize our presence. She was speaking to Governor Bibble when he nodded our way, indeed, bowed to the Jedi as if recognizing an ambassador, or perhaps just recognizing grief. Her Majesty immediately comes over and nods to me, dismissing me._

_I had no orders to leave, so I stayed and listened until a new duty was assigned to me._

_This young Jedi bows to the Queen, cool as ever, but I know better now. His eyes are still damp and there's tear stains on his cheek. He ignores them, but he knows, I know, the Queen and everyone else there knows they're there._

_"Milady, my master…Master Qui-Gon Jinn is dead, and the Sith is defeated." His words come out all smooth, without a hint of emotion, well, perhaps they were kinda dead, flat you know. It was hard to tell, for he spoke very low. Then he adds, even lower, "I killed him."_

_It would break your heart; you can tell he's not happy he had to kill, and suddenly he looks about ten and at the same time, about a hundred. No, he didn't like it, not at all, yet you can tell he'd do it again. He did it for his master and he did it for us. Da-darn, by now I'm sensing these Jedi have a real strong sense of duty and responsibility. They're willing to protect those who need protection, no matter the cost to them._

_Suddenly this kid has my respect – and my pity._

_Our Queen, compassionate young woman that she is, nods, and da- ,yes, dear – darn if there isn't a tear in her eyes! She extends her hand to the young Jedi and they just exchange glances. She knows. _

_"Go to him, Master Kenobi," she says. "Will you be okay? We will speak later." He bows, and the Queen asks me to escort him and I think– what, back to sit by a body in a melting pit – and then I realize the Jedi's body would have been taken to the rooms originally set aside for the Chancellor's ambassadors._

_As I leave him at the door, I decide to say bluntly, "I didn't know you Jedi cried. I am – so sorry."_

_Kahra, he pulls this little smile out from somewhere and says very softly, "Thank you. It seemed appropriate at the time. He was like – he was my master."_

_I suddenly understand what has been unspoken, just by the way the title rolls off his tongue. "No," I said. "I think he was like your father."_

_He looks at me and nods. "Yes, he was," he says, and looks up, this little smile on his face and nods. I still wonder what he saw, or to whom he was speaking, but it almost seemed like he was waiting._

_He was still waiting when I left him. _

1. Report of Captain Panaka, Captain of Her Majesty's Guards  
2. Report of Captain Panaka, Captain of Her Majesty's Guards  
3. Blueprints of Theed Hanger, power generator room and melting pit  
4. Identities confirmed by the Jedi Council, Her Majesty the Queen, and Captain Panaka, Captain of Her Majesty's Guards

(Note, the Guardsman's comments to his wife would be in color to differentiate from his report; on this site I used italics.)


End file.
